The TokomezaPlus Ebola trial is a phase I/II double blind randomised clinical trial designed to assess the safety and immunogenicity of candidate SUDV vaccines in Uganda during the inter outbreak period. Uganda is prone to Ebola virus disease outbreaks especially those caused by the Ebola Sudan (SUDV) species. TokomezaPlus Ebola Vaccine trial protocol has two main components: a) Safety b) Immunogenicity and is designed to create a living protocol that will be used to study the safety and immunogenicity of SUDV-candidate vaccines in the East African EVD-prone countries.
The Sudan ebolavirus and the Zaire ebolavirus are classified as different species, and vaccines and monoclonal antibodies that are effective against Zaire ebolavirus disease are unlikely to be of any use against SUVD. But, the epidemiology of SUVD is thought to be similar to that of Zaire ebolavirus disease. There is an urgent need to test the safety and immunogenicity of the candidate vaccine(s) developed against Sudan ebolavirus. Once safety and immunogenicity (including extended immunogenicity) have been proven, these vaccines could be deployed for future outbreaks as part of the response. OBJECTIVES Phase 1 Objectives 1. To determine the safety of rVSV-SUDV candidate SUDV vaccine among healthy volunteers 2. To determine the immunogenicity of rVSV-SUDV candidate SUDV vaccine Phase 2 Primary objectives 1. To determine the safety of ChAdox1, CAd3 and rVSV-SUDV candidate SUDV vaccine(s) among healthy volunteers and persons with stable comorbidities. 2. To determine the immunogenicity of the three candidate SUDV vaccines. Secondary objectives 1. To determine the durability of SUDV-specific induced immune responses following vaccination with ChAdox1, CAd3 and rVSV-SUDV candidate SUDV vaccine(s). 2. To determine the factors associated with vaccine-induced immune responses. 3. To determine the putative cross reactivity \& protection exerted by the SUDV vaccine candidates against other ebolaviruses (e. g. Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BUDV) and EBOV). Exploratory objectives 1. To determine the effect of SUDV vaccines on host gene expression 2. To determine the T and B cell specific responses and immune profiling in response to vaccination 3. To determine the effect of SUDV vaccines on the host metabolome 4. To determine the effect of SUDV vaccines on host immune responses END POINTS Primary Endpoints 1. Number of solicited, unsolicited adverse and serious adverse events that are determined as possibly, probably and definitely related to the investigational products. 2. Binding antibody titres, neutralization activity and cell mediated immune responses. Secondary Endpoints 1. Durability of SUDV-specific induced immune responses following vaccination. 2. Factors associated with vaccine-induced immune responses. 3. To determine the putative cross reactivity \& protection exerted by the SUDV vaccine candidates against other ebolaviruses (e. g. Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BUDV) and EBOV). TRIAL PARTICIPANTS This trial will enroll a total 250 healthy, adult volunteers (18-50 years) (150 intervention arm and 100 placebo arm) for the phase I rVSV-SUDV vaccine. The DSMB will review day 28 post vaccination safety data for all the phase I participants and day 56 post vaccination binding antibody IgG and IgM data for 50 participants randomly selected who receive the rVSV SUDV and 10 participants who receive the placebo to make a recommendation regarding proceeding to phase II. Participants enrolled in phase I of the rVSV-SUDV candidate vaccine will contribute data to phase II for this vaccine. For the Phase II trial (ChAdox1, CAd3 and rVSV-SUDV vaccines), 2121 volunteers aged 6 - 65 years will be included (606 for each of the vaccine arms and 303 to placebo). A randomly selected subset of120 participants per vaccine and 50 placebo recipients will participate in extended immunogenicity studies (long term immunogenicity and exploratory studies). 100 participants from each intervention arm participating in extended immunogenicity will randomly be selected to receive a homologous booster 12months post vaccination. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS The primary analysis is the comparison of occurrence of solicited (within 7 days) and unsolicited adverse events (occurring within 56 days) considered possibly, probably or definitely related to vaccines as well as adverse and SAEs occurring within 24 months' post-vaccination between each candidate vaccine and placebo. AEs will be summarized with counts, percentages, and, when provided, exact 95% CIs will be provided. SAEs will be graded according to DAIDS. The primary analysis for the immunogenicity is the change in serum IgG and IgM titres from baseline to 56days post vaccination.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
2,121
Incidence of solicited, unsolicited adverse and serious adverse events (safety)
The adverse events (AE) and serious adverse events (SAE) will be evaluated to determine the link to the investigational product. They will then be classified as possibly, probably and definitely related to the investigational products
Time frame: 72 months
Vaccine-specific antibody concentration (immunogenicity) measured as optical density that will be converted to concentration
The vaccine specific antibody concentration will be assessed through specific laboratory procedures that make use of Nunc Maxisorp flat bottom plates will be coated with Ebola GP in a coating buffer. Heat inactivated serum or plasma from study participants (either diluted and or undiluted) or treated plasma sample from SUDV convalescent individuals (Positive control) or Mouse anti SUDV GP mAb (positive control) will be added to the plates and incubated. The plates will be washed and HRP goat anti-human IgG antibody and or HRP goat anti-human IgM antibody and or HRP goat anti-mouse IgG Fc or HRP goat anti-mouse IgM Fc will be added. The plates will be washed and tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) 1 component microwell peroxidase substrate added. The reaction will be stopped after about 20 minutes with hydrochloric acid. The plate's absorbance will be read at 450 nm and 630 nm. A standard curve/line will be drawn and convert the optical density to concentration
Time frame: 72 months
Vaccine specific antibody neutralization capability (immunogenicity) represented as proportion of neutralization
Vero cells will be incubated in Eagles Minimum Essential Medium with fetal bovine serum and penicillin/streptomycin (R10) and maintained at 37°C and 5% CO2 humidified incubator. The cells will be plated onto a 96 well black flat bottomed culture plate. Study participant, positive (obtained from SUDV convalescent individuals and pre-treated) and negative controls heat inactivated serum samples will be diluted and mixed with single round infecting recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus expressing SUDV GP and firefly luciferase at room temperature with appropriate controls. The virus and serum sample mixture will be added to the plated vero cells and incubated for up to 24 hours. The virus and serum sample will be removed and vero cells lysed. Luciferase activating reagent will be added and the luminescence will be read using a luminescence plate reader. The proportion of neutralisation will be evaluated using appropriate controls (rVSV without serum).
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Placebo
Time frame: 72 months
Vaccine-induced T cell responses (immunogenicity) determined as spot forming units per one million cells.
This will be done as per the standard operating procedures. IFN-γ precoated ELISPOT plates will be washed and blocked using serum. Thawed and rested PBMC will be plated, stimuli (peptides to ebola GP, appropriate positive and negative controls) added and incubated for 12 to 24 hours. The plates will be emptied and washed after incubation. Diluted enzyme-conjugate detection IFN-γ antibody will be added and incubated. The plates will be washed \& substrate added and allowed to develop for about 20 minutes. The development will be stopped by rinsing the plates in copious amounts of deionised water. The plates will be allowed to air dry in the dark and read using an ELISPOT reader within 12 hours. The results will be determined as spot forming units per one million cells
Time frame: 72 months
Durability of the immune response measured up to 72 months quantitively by assessing the antibody concentration and qualitatively by assessing the antibody neutralization capacity. Curves will be drawn to represent immune responses against time
Blood samples will be collected at different time points and the immunogenicity assays repeated. Curves will then be drawn to represent how the antibody titers against time
Time frame: 72 months